Alejandro Valverde takes first win in 20 months at GP Miguel Indurain
The victory is also Movistar's first of the season
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Alejandro Valverde has taken his first win in 20 months at the GP Miguel Indurain, also Movistar's first of the season.
The 40-year-old rolled back the years at the recent Volta a Catalunya, finishing fourth overall behind the Ineos-filled podium, and now takes his first victory since 2019, finishing six seconds ahead of Alexey Lutsenko in second place, his Astana team-mate Luis Léon Sánchez third.
This was Valverde's third win at the Spanish one-day race, and 131st in his career, previously crossing the line first in 2014 and 2018, his last win coming on stage seven of the 2019 Vuelta a España.
The victory will provide welcome respite for Movistar, who before today hadn't won in 2021, and only took two wins in 2020 courtesy of Marc Soler at Pollença - Andratx and stage two of the Vuelta.
>>> Jonathan Vaughters: ‘Ralph Denk forgets he wouldn’t have a WorldTour team without Peter Sagan’
"This victory gives me joy and confidence," Valverde said, having attacked near the summit of the final climb in the closing kilometres and staying away on the descent to the finish.
"Hopefully we can assert ourselves again," he continues in the interview afterwards. "The legs are good and we have a great team."
Valverde dedicated his victory to Gary Baños, the Movistar support staff member who died in a mountain accident at the beginning of the year: "Wherever he is, I am sure he has received this victory with great affection," Valverde said.
Valverde will next line up at the Tour of the Basque Country, before heading to the Ardennes for the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne (which he has won five times) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (which he has won four times).
For the moment, the only other race pencilled in on his schedule is the Vuelta a España in August, and with his contract running out at the end of the year it could be Valverde's final Grand Tour should he choose to retire at the end of the season.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
-
'I'm studying maths – my brain needs something else besides cycling': Thomas Gloag on his hunger for learning on and off the bike
The 21-year-old Londoner and new Jumbo-Visma signing on rising to the challenge as he begins his WorldTour career
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Jess Roberts doubles up at British Track Championships as 19 year-old sprinter topples Olympian
Comeback queen wins her first solo national title in the scratch race
By Vern Pitt • Published
-
Changing of the guard: Seven top cyclists who have retired in 2022
Vincenzo Nibali, Alejandro Valverde and Tom Dumoulin have all called time on their careers this year
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘I was rubbing shoulders with Nibali and Valverde’ - Oliver Knight gets starstruck at Vuelta a Burgos
UAE Team Emirates rider makes big step up in key race before the Vuelta a España
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Alejandro Valverde involved in hit and run incident during training in Spain
Movistar confirm rider suffered no fractures or other injuries
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Alejandro Valverde: Second place at Flèche Wallonne 'is worth as much as a victory'
Spaniard finishes on podium for eight time in final time up Mur de Huy
By Adam Becket • Last updated
-
Alejandro Valverde confirms he will stay with Movistar for 2022
The Spaniard enters his 18th year with the Spanish-based team, which could be his last
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Five talking points from stage seven of the Vuelta a España 2021
Team DSM thrive again on a Grand Tour stage, Valverde is out, but Movistar still looking strong - don't miss these moments
By Stephen Puddicombe • Published
-
'This won't be my last season': Alejandro Valverde plans to continue racing next year aged 42
Movistar's evergreen star man does not want to quit racing after the Olympics
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Alejandro Valverde says ‘everything I manage to do now is special’ after Critérium du Dauphiné stage win
At 41, Valverde is the oldest ever stage winner in the Dauphiné
By Alex Ballinger • Published